The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-12-07
DROUGHT AND DRAINAGE
Their Relations Discussed Before the
Indiana Horticultural Society.
Observations and Theories of Scientists of
Timely Interest to Agriculturists-Pres-
ident Johnson's Address to the Society.

opening session of the Indiana Horticultural So
ciety yesterday. President Sylvester johnson
called the meeting to order and made an address
sketching the history or the society. particularly
in connection with the obtaining and arrange
ment Of the present quarters Of the organization
in the new Capitol He recommendeds pecially
that an effort be made to huild up o library for
the use of the members
The secretary reported receints $304 SO and
disbursements of equal amount The report OF
the treasurer correspondent aud showed bal
ance of $74. in the treasury.
Prof. j. Troop. of Purdue University, then
made report of his experiments on small fruits
on the grounds Of the university. Prof. Latta's
report on similar work was also submitted, and
one from Granville Cowing lengthy dis
cussion followed in which q number of the mem
bers took part.
The committee on the presidents address re-
ported favorably on the recommendations con-
corning the appointments OF . permanent library
committee and the building MP of library.
The society then took up the consideration of
the frnis list. and, after discussion of some
length on the value of the list in the practical
work OF the farmer. it was agreed to make the
subject a special order of business for this morn
ing, at 10 o'clock.
The committees appointed were as follows:
Resolutions-Dr R. T. Brown. Dr. Allen Fur
uoS ouu W. a. w OEktuAny preBtuent dVoroSS-
j c. Stevens, L. D. Custer and w. II. Raean;
exhibit-Wm. Retchie, DR.. Clifford and w. 81.
Lawrence; finance. C. Ratlif. James Sanders
and Fielding Beeler. A special committee
conference with the Ladies State Fair Associa-
ton was also appointed. consisting Of j. Il. Fur
mas. j. @. Kinesourv and ID. Cox.
In the evening Prof. w. G.. Latta, of Purdue
discussed the relations OF drought and drainage.
He denied that drainage, either by thing by
open drains decreased the rainfall. and claimed
that in fact the rainfall had cot decreased at all
m q He asAA fhofl of
rainfall were kept for the next fifty years the
average for the second twenty-five would be
great as for the first twenty-five. As to the in
crease or drought that might result from the
removal Of the water In the SOIL he claimed that
the amount of moisture removed only
about one-eightieth OF what was taken by the
resulting from drainage we're far in excess Of
any disadvantage that might result.
In the discussion that followed. B. G. Hobbs
suggested the consideration of the facts that with
the increase of the drainage there had been a
decrease of aeue. and also called attention to
Professor Collects recent proposition as to an
increase of typhoid from drought
Professor Smart said he thought that drainage
had decreased the amount of ague, and that de-
fective drainage increased typhoid fever.
Dr. Furnas said be was sure that drainage
benefited the health of the country.
Prof. T. j. Burrll, of Cham paien. ILL.,, was
then introduced. He said that ia the discussion
that bad resulted from the great drought of this
year. its cause had often been attributed to tile
drainage, destruction OF forests, aud other
causes close at hand. As matter of fact, the
recorded measurements from 1925 down showed
gradual increases and decreases of different
periods amounting to 10 per cent. above
and an equal amount below the
mean fall at different times. Tho
necessary conclusion is that mans action has
little or nothing TO do with it The recorded
rain falls show that the rain is least in January
and increases RAPIDLY till it reaches it's maxi
with equal rapdty to September. The summer
rain does most for the support Of plant life The
winter rains fill the subterranean and surface
streams. In addition to the atmospheric eyao-
Grafton, an immense amount OF water is thrown
into the air by the foliage of the plants. A
large. well-developed forest tree throws off
about forty barrels of water of forty gallons
each in one dry. sunshinv dav. Ten OF these
trees on an acre of ground would give off four
hundred barrels. This seems incredible, and
yet it would only be ona-twentieth of an inch OF
water over tine surface of the acre. and the best
authorities fix the ordinary evaporation from bare
ground one-tenth of an inch of water or more.
depth of soil OF two feet in a dry
tains half its weight in water. which is three
times what is needed for the plant growth of the
season. Some cause outside of plant life must 4
he looked for to account for droughts. By nu- /
evaporates from uncultlvated land than from
cultivated land. There will be found more
moisture in corn land in time of drought than in
pasture land stubbie land. Experiments
show that soil loses water at night in dry sea-
sons Much OF the dew is water that escaped
from the soil and condensed reaching the
cOlOer air. Trees 90 not take up water from The
air bv their leaves. They give water out. Hence
the Importance of preserving the soil moisture
One excellent means of doing this is bv mulch
ing. Mulched ground always contains more
moisture than bare ground. Sprinkling and wa
tering does but little good.
Mr.. Smith of Wisconsin, corroborated the
statements Of Professor Burrill from his own
observations. During the past season his crops
had been good, some Of them very large, aud
he attributed hs success to underdrainale and
cultivation. Artificial watering. As ordinarily
lone, is of very little benefit He found that to
water acre of cabbage straw berries in a
Try time would req uire thirty thousand gallons
If water.
Mr.. N. Dinner, of Dayton. also corroborated
he statement as to cultivation in dry seasons.
During this years drought. and one some years
Igo, he had raised good crops of blackberries by
cultivation whom no one else in the neighbor-
,ood had any berries He cultivated to a depth |
II three or four inches. Eight out of ten farm
RS do not believe IN frequent cultivation in |
Try weather, and the result is that those who |
10 get better prices for their crops.